News for the Month of December 2014

Phinny to IndyCar Series in ’15? – According to Tony DiZinno of MotorSportsTalk, former Lights driver Ryan Phinny and sponsor Casamigos (an American tequila company) are in contention for a Verizon IndyCar Series ride in 2015. KVSH is mentioned as a possibility. Full details of an interesting deal at the link. – NBC Sports – (12/30/14)

—

Team Moore Racing receives first IL-15 – “Team Moore Racing today received the first of its two Dallara IL-15 chassis for the upcoming 2015 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The news over the Christmas and New Year’s Holiday was welcome to the entire race team. Mark Moore of Team Moore Racing said, “What better way to celebrate New Year than the arrival of the team’s first Dallara IL-15. I honestly think it is the most beautiful formula car in the world right now! The design team from Dallara and project managers like Tony Cotman and Alex Timmermans did a fantastic job. Well done!”” – Indy Lights – (12/30/14)

—

RACER’s IndyCar 2018 Project – Clarke – RACER’s project on IndyCar in 2018 continues with Robert Clarke, president of SCCA Pro Racing and a consultant to Honda and IndyCar. Includes links to previous installments of the feature. Great read. – RACER – (12/29/14)

—

BHA sponsor hasn’t paid up – TMZ reports that Bryan Herta Autosport sponsor Integrity Energy Drink has only made $470,000 of the $2 million dollar sponsorship deal the pair agreed to. “Herta claims he went after company honchos for the money — and got an email from the CEO apologizing for the payment problems … but NEVER got the remaining $1.53 mil. In the suit, Herta claims the lack of funding put his squad at a “severe competitive disadvantage” — forcing the team to scale back important race prep to save money.” – TMZ – (12/24/14)

—

IndyCar sticking to faster speed mantra – INDYCAR continues to promise higher speeds in 2015 due to the increase in downforce from the new manufacturer aero kits. “Right now, the only thing I can say is that there is obviously more downforce,” Helio Castroneves told Autosport.com after a recent testing session of the Chevrolet kit. “So you are going to see some very fast speeds out there.” – IBJ – (12/24/14)

—

Straight No Chaser to perform Back Home Again In Indiana at the 500 – “Atlantic Records recording group Straight No Chaser will perform “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” during the pre-race festivities for the 2015 Indianapolis 500 on May 24. The world-renowned a cappella group, founded in 1996 at Indiana University-Bloomington, will sing the traditional song in 2015 as legendary entertainer Jim Nabors retired after the 2014 race, having performed the song live 35 times since 1972.” – IMS – (12/23/14)

—

Brabham hoping for Andretti Lights ride – Matthew Brabham is hoping to continue to drive for Andretti Autosport’s Indy Lights program. “I’m waiting to hear from Andretti Autosport and hope we’ll be back together in Indy Lights,” Brabham told RACER. “That’s what I’m working towards and I know we both want.” Brabham and Andretti need to find funding this year as Brabham doesn’t have the same MRTI scholarship support he had the year before. – RACER – (12/22/14)

—

NYE IndyCar drop livery revealed – The livery for the IndyCar to be “dropped” in Downtown Indianapolis on New Year’s Eve was revealed today. More information including pictures at the link. – NBC Sports – (12/22/14)

—

Punch to remain with ESPN/ABC – ESPN announced today that Dr. Jerry Punch will remain with the network and will continue to be a part of the broadcast team for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race and other Verizon IndyCar Series races. – ESPN – (12/22/14)

—

Coyne and Rossi confirm conversation – As RACER summarizes, Dale Coyne Racing posted a picture on social media Friday evening of Alexander Rossi sitting in their No. 19 car from 2014 and listed his name in the caption. Justin Wilson is certainly going elsewhere in 2015 boosting Rossi to a top candidate to fill his seat. “It was fantastic to meet Dale Coyne Racing as well as Steve [Eriksen] and Allen [Miller] from HPD today,” Rossi told RACER. “I admire the effort that they’re putting in this winter ahead of 2015.” – RACER – (12/21/14)

—

INDYCAR to mandate drilling holes in floor of DW12 in 2015 – “We’re going with a hole in the floor now so that’s a new thing for 2015,” INDYCAR President of Competition Derrick Walker told FOXSports.com. “We now have part of the floor cut out to reduce the surface area of the race car. The reason we did that is when you look at open-wheel cars and racing cars in general, as ground effects has grown and grown the actual area underneath the car has gotten bigger. That sounds good as you are trying to generate downforce. But when you look at the effects if a car is not running at the right angle to the race track — if it goes nose-up — the bigger the floor, the flatter the floor, the more likelihood you have of lift.” – FOX Sports – (12/21/14)

—

Vergne joins Ferrari – “Ferrari announces that, as from next season, Jean-Eric Vergne will join the Scuderia in the role of test driver to work on car development in the simulator. The rest of the driver line-up consists of the race pairing of Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, along with test and third driver Esteban Gutiérrez, while Marc Genè and Davide Rigon are confirmed in the role of test drivers.” – Ferrari – (12/19/14) – UPDATE: Vergne says Ferrari role won’t limit his INDYCAR possibilities RACER

—

Enerson joins SPM Lights program – RC Enerson will drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in the 2015 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season. The 17 year old Florida-native finished 2nd in the USF 2000 Championship in 2014. Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda standout Enerson was the 2014 Winterfest Champion. He finished second in the overall USF2000 championship in 2014, earning five wins, one pole and nine podiums. “SPM is a great organization,” Enerson said. “Surrounding myself with experienced team members, where there is chance to advance up to the Verizon IndyCar Series within the team, is ideal. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” – SPM – (12/19/14)

—

Helio and Power team up to help Indy youth get gifts for their families – Will Power and Helio Castroneves teamed up with the Indianapolis Colts to help Indianapolis-area children buy gifts for their families at an annual “Shop with a Colt” event. “Watching the kids get to go shopping, I love it,” Power said. “To shop with underprivileged kids and make sure they have a great Christmas is always important. They run around a lot, but they are having fun. I enjoy it. That’s why I come back every year.” – INDYCAR – (12/19/14)

—

Ramification of Target sponsorship decisions – FOX Sports’ Bruce Martin has a great piece on what Target’s decision to only sponsor Scott Dixon’s No. 9 this season means for the Verizon IndyCar Series. Target proclaims that they’ll still spend the same amount in support of the team/sport but will feature increased promotion involving Dixon (as well as NASCAR driver Kyle Larson) rather than just slapping the Target logo on the side of a second car. “The new marketing initiatives will allow Target to remain one of the most recognizable brands in each series, both on and off the track,” said Dan Griffis is the Vice President of Experiential Marketing and Alliances for Target. “We look forward to sharing more details about these exciting plans with our loyal fans in the coming weeks.” – FOX Sports – (12/19/14)

—

Video of Sebring testing – A four minute video of Tuesday’s test session at Sebring has been posted on YouTube. Teams featured are Ganassi, SPM, and BHA. – RACER – (12/18/14)

—

Hinch enjoys first test day with SPM – James Hinchcliffe got to get in a car and test with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for the first time on Tuesday. “It’s been way too long,” Hinchcliffe told MotorSportsTalk. “These testing rules are killer. With the new team, we were all anxious to get on track A lot of those things were done to keep my mind off the fact I wasn’t in a car. Keeping busy was the plan all along. Now we can start to get into the swing of things. But having that first test was big. We can debrief from that and bugs we found.” – NBC Sports – (12/18/14)

—

DCR adds new shock engineer – Dale Coyne Racing has added Stuart Kenworthy to their staff as head of the shock and damper department. “Stuart brings a wealth of experience from his years at Andretti, Quantum and Chip Ganassi Racing,” said team owner Dale Coyne. “We look forward to his contribution and ongoing development in this highly competitive sector of our sport.”- NBC Sports – (12/18/14)

—

3 Doors Down to perform at Belle Isle – 3 Doors Down will perform on Saturday evening after the first race of the Verizon IndyCar Series race at the 2015 Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix. “We are excited to welcome 3 Doors Down to the Motor City Casino Hotel Entertainment Stage at the 2015 Grand Prix,” said Bud Denker. “We have seen some great bands perform at the Grand Prix on Belle Isle over the last few years and we’re happy to continue that tradition as we start the summer with an awesome Saturday night concert. – Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix – (12/17/14)

Pictures of Brasilia circuit work emerge on Twitter – Pictures of the work on the circuit for the Verizon IndyCar Series’ opening race of the year can be found here and here. – @WilkinsCo – (12/16/14)

—

Carlin hoping to expand to Verizon IndyCar Series in the future – Owner of Carlin Racing Trevor Carlin would like his team to move up from Indy Lights as they learn more about racing in the US. “My personal ambition is to race in IndyCar, and to have Carlin enter the Indy 500,” he said. “It’s a dream of mine; the Indy 500 is one of the crown jewels in motorsport. There’s the Indy 500, the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the Monaco Grand Prix.” – RACER – (12/16/14)

—

Pruett breaks down silly season – Comprehensive piece by RACER’s Marshall Pruett goes team-by-team analyzing what changes have or might be made this offseason. Best piece on the topic yet this season. – RACER – (12/16/14)

—

2014 Skip Barber Racing School INDYCAR Academy competition began Monday – “The third annual Skip Barber Racing School INDYCAR Academy opened at Sebring International Raceway on Monday, with 28 candidates vying for a championship win to jump-start their dreams of a career in racing. “The competitors spent yesterday getting reacclimated with the car, and had their first timed session,” said Keith Dalton, director of competition for Skip Barber. “Today will be a pivotal day for the racers as they will have two more time sessions that will impact their overall score.”” – RACER – (12/16/14)

—

Dave Allen named President at ACS – Dave Allen was named the new President of Auto Club Speedway on Monday. “Allen replaces Gillian Zucker who was recently named President of Business Operations for the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Allen, 41, a 17-year veteran in the sports marketing industry, will report to ISC President, John R. Saunders and will be responsible for all operations of Auto Club Speedway and Auto Club Dragway.” – Auto Club Speedway – (12/15/14)

—

Mario talks to RACER about the future of INDYCAR – RACER’s David Malsher talks to Mario Andretti about the “next generation” of INDYCAR when the next new car comes along in 2018 and what he thinks INDYCAR should look like at that time. Strong start to a series of three articles. – RACER – (12/15/14)

—

Cavin’s latest “car count” – Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star has summarized the number of confirmed entries, drivers, and teams in the Verizon IndyCar Series at the moment. Worth a click. – Indianapolis Star – (12/15/14)

—

Interesting test this week at Sebring – Schmidt Peterson Motorsports will test Davide Valsecchi, Stefano Coletti and Rodolfo Gonzalez at Sebring this week (Dec. 16 & 17). Rob Edwards has confirmed that the team will have two Verizon IndyCar Series entries in 2015. Sage Karam will test with Ganassi and their three confirmed drivers (Dixon, Kanaan, and Kimball) as well. Bryan Herta Autosport will be testing Gabby Chaves and Daniel De Jong. – RACER – (12/15/14)

—

Carlin names Ed Jones as their 2015 Lights driver – F3 veteran Ed Jones will drive for Carlin in their 2015 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires effort. The 19 year old had two podiums in F3 in 2014. Jones said, “I am really excited and thankful for this opportunity to race in Indy Lights. I have always seen myself going over to the States for racing at some point and Carlin’s choice to participate in the series has made it an ideal time to make the transition a reality.” – RACER – (12/15/14)

—

Ganassi announces extended deal with Novo Nordisk and Kimball – Chip Ganassi Racing announced a multi-year deal with Novo Nordisk and Charlie Kimball for 2015 and beyond on Friday. Kimball commented: “I am really excited to continue to be a part of this great partnership with Novo Nordisk and Chip Ganassi Racing. The relationships we’ve built over the past four years, both on and off the track, are only getting stronger as I enter my fifth Verizon IndyCar Series season. From the guys at the shop prepping the car each and every week, to those within Novo Nordisk working on the Race With Insulin program, it’s truly a team effort. We’ll be working as hard as ever to take the No. 83 car back to victory lane in 2015 and beyond!” – Chip Ganassi Racing – (12/15/14)

—

IEDC to serve as associate sponsor for CFH Racing at Indy and Sonoma – The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) will serve as an associate sponsor with CFH Racing at the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, and the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma on both the No. 20 and 67. – @CFHRIndy – (12/11/14)

—

Daly’s RACER blog shows his efforts for 2015 – Conor Daly wrote an excellent blog on RACER.com detailing his 2014 GP2 experience and what he’s doing to fulfill his goal of driving in the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2015. Too good to shorten. – RACER – (12/11/14)

—

Speculation on Nabors’ replacement heating up – Curt Cavin and David Lindquist of the Indianapolis Star have compiled a list of ten reasonable candidates to perform “Back Home Again in Indiana” before this year’s Indianapolis 500 Mile Race after the retirement of Jim Nabors. It’s an interesting list of names from recent winner of The Voice Josh Kaufman to John Mellencamp. – Indianapolis Star – (12/10/14)

—

Kanaan’s No. 10 to be sponsored by NTT Data in 2015 – Tony Kanaan’s Chip Ganassi Racing No. 10 machine will be sponsored by NTT Data in 2015. The livery can be seen at the link and is very similar to what Ryan Briscoe drove in the No. 8 in 2014. Target will only sponsor Scott Dixon’s No. 9 in 2015. – Chip Ganassi Racing – (12/10/14)

Coletti to test for Schmidt at Sebring – GP2 Series veteran Stefano Coletti will test for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports at Sebring this week. The 25 year old is from Monaco and has 7 wins in 86 GP2 starts. – @stefanocoletti – (12/10/14)

—

Brasilia race still on schedule – According to a report from the Indianapolis Star’s Curt Cavin the Verizon IndyCar Series race in Brasilia is still on for March of 2015. “Everything is rolling along,” said Tony Cotman, president of NZR Consulting. “There’s still a lot of work to do in a short time, but there should be no reason not to get it done.” – Indianapolis Star – (12/8/14)

—

RHR to compete in ROC this week – Ryan Hunter-Reay will drive in the Race of Champions this weekend at the Bushy Park Circuit in Barbados. Full details at the link. – INDYCAR – (12/8/14)

—

Grist’s path to MRTI – Interesting interview with Canadian Pro Mazda driver Garett Grist on his rise through the racing ladder from karting to the Mazda Road to Indy. – eFormulaCarNews – (12/8/14)

—

Vergne to drive for Andretti in Formula E – Jean-Eric Vergne will drive for Andretti Autosport in the Formula E race at Punta del Este this weekend. This is certainly an interesting development as Vergne has stated he’d like to be in the Verizon IndyCar Series next year and Andretti likely has at least one open seat. – @JeanEricVergne – (12/8/14)

Lights testing delayed due to high demand – The first 2015 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires test has been moved from the middle of December to January 13th and 14th to allow suppliers to meet the high demand from the numerous new owners. The test will be held at Palm Beach International Raceway. – NBC Sports – (12/7/14)

—

INDYCAR provides data for Orion – INDYCAR provided NASA with data to help with it’s unmanned Orion space capsule. “In developing the Orion crew module built by Lockhead Martin, NASA engineers called upon INDYCAR for data to assist in the design of a passenger restraint system to protect the crew from increased acceleration exposures that draw parallels to those experienced in the sport. Through a Space Act Agreement, INDYCAR provided data from blind incidents dating to the 2003 season, including information from crash data recorders on each race car and ear accelerometers worn by each driver. Both measure G forces on the car/body and provide information relative to angle of impact. Incidence of injury also has been included in spreadsheet reports.” – INDYCAR – (12/7/14)

—

Penske profile – Good piece by Fortune Magazine on Roger Penske’s rise to one of motor racing’s premier owners after a promising early career as a driver. – Fortune – (12/7/14)

Hinch Men’s Journal profile – Good read from Men’s Journal profiling James Hinchcliffe’s busy 12 months from his “struggles” on the track in 2013, to his new beer, and his new ride for 2014. – Men’s Journal – (12/7/14)

—

Hinch delivers LEGOs in massive military truck – James Hinchcliffe helped out the community by delivering toys in Indianapolis in a massive retired military vehicle. “It was pretty terrifying to be honest because the thing is so big,” Hinchcliffe said . “The good news is that when you drive something like that people tend to give you a little bit of extra room and when they saw it was me behind the wheel, they gave me a lot of extra room.” – INDYCAR – (12/7/14)

—

CuttersRT backing BHA/Howard effort – Crowdfunders Cutters Race Team will be supporting Bryan Herta Autosport and Jay Howard in their efforts at the 2015 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. “I just wanted to say that I am very excited about joining the CuttersRT team this year and their effort to sponsor an IndyCar,” said Howard. “My main goal is give this race everything I can, to bring home the win. I believe in what CuttersRT is doing and love being part of a grassroots movement to engage your current fan base and the new Cutters who join.” – National Speed Sport News – (12/4/14)

—

Foyt released from the hospital – “A.J. Foyt was released from Baylor-St. Luke’s Medical Center Tuesday afternoon and is recovering at home from his Nov. 12 triple bypass heart surgery…“It’s been pretty rough but I guess I slept through the roughest part,” said Foyt, who will turn 80 in January. “I had some problems that most people don’t have after open heart surgery so I made my doctors work extra hard but they saved my life. We’ve turned a corner so everything’s pretty good. I’ve got a long way to go but I’m feeling better every day.”” – AJ Foyt Racing – (12/4/14)

—

RHR unveiled on Borg Warner – Ryan Hunter-Reay’s likeness was unveiled on the Borg Warner Trophy Wednesday evening for his win at the 2014 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. You can see the trophy at the link. – IMS – (12/3/14)

MotorSportsTalk breaks down DHL/Andretti relationship – MotorSportsTalk’s Tony DiZinno wrote an excellent piece highlighting the relationship between Andretti Autosport and their sponsor DHL. Really too good to shorten. A must read. – NBC Sports – (12/3/14)

—

Calgary working on INDYCAR event according to Hinch – “The next thing for us to try to get a race (in Calgary),” Hinchcliffe said. “That would mean a lot to everybody on the team. I am 100% in on getting Calgary an IndyCar race. In fact, I think we should have three races in Canada and I feel a second one (in Calgary) is realistic.” – Calgary Sun – (12/3/14)

—

Stoneman adds his name to the list of Europeans wanting INDYCAR switch – GP3 runner-up Dean Stoneman has declared that he’d like to explore his options in either major INDYCAR series in 2015. “I’ve been to America and seen IndyCar, seen Indy Lights, and really like what it has to offer. Both are great championships, and I reckon America is the best option for me,” said Stoneman. The young Englishman has been successful at every level of racing he’s been in and has even won a battle against testicular cancer. – RACER – (12/3/14)

—

New rules for 2015 highlighted by double points at the Indy 500 and Sonoma – The Verizon IndyCar Series has announced changes to the rulebook for 2015. Double points will be awarded at the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race and the season ending race (Sonoma this year). There will be no standing starts in 2015 due to software inconsistencies and lack of proper room at all tracks. More details can be found at the link on changes to pit assignments, test day clarification, qualifying groups, and more. – INDYCAR – (12/2/14)

—

Providence race off for now – According to Mark Perrone, President of New England Grand Prix, the long-rumored Verizon IndyCar Series race in Providence was all but a done deal in 2013 and then got delayed. Now it appears to be off the table completely as Boston has emerged as a front runner for 2016. He didn’t rule out Providence as a possibility down the road. – WPRO 630AM – (12/2/14)

—

Cavin Q&A 12/2/14 – Curt Cavin’s fan Q&A features answers on the lack of multiple doubleheaders and whether Simona would be a good fit at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. – Indianapolis Star – (12/2/14)

—

Blackstock to race for Andretti in Lights in 2015 – 24 year old American Shelby Blackstock will drive for Andretti Autosport in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires in 2015. Blackstock drove for Andretti in the Pro Mazda series last year. “I am very happy to be back with the Andretti Autosport team for the 2015 Indy Lights season,” Blackstock said. “I’m extremely excited to test the new IL-15 and to see if all the great expectations are true. I want to thank Andretti Autosport for giving me the opportunity to be in one of its cars this year – this team is like a second family to me. I hope there is a lot of success to come from a completely fresh season.” – Indy Lights – (12/2/14)

—

Rossi looking for INDYCAR opportunity – American Alexander Rossi has spent his past six years working his way up to a F1 test driver and nearly making the grid for Marussia F1 this past year. Now, he’s ready to give INDYCAR a shot. “I left America when I was 16, went to Europe, and the focus and drive was to reach Formula 1 and become a Grand Prix driver. That focus never wavered,” he said. “Now I’ve come back to the U.S. and I’m concentrating my efforts on IndyCar next year.” – RACER – (12/2/14)

—

First open wheel test at NOLA is next week – From a NOLA Motorsports Park Press Release: “The first Open Test for Team Pelfrey and Andretti Autosport is scheduled for December 8-9, 2015, at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, LA. It will be the initial opportunity for teams to sample the newly constructed circuit before the Verizon IndyCar Series takes to the 2.67-mile track April 10-12, 2015.” – RACER – (12/2/14)

—

VP Racing Fuels partners with MRTI – “Andersen Promotions today announced that VP Racing Fuels will be the exclusive fuel supplier for Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires beginning in 2015. The four-year alliance will see VP’s support expand to the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda in 2016.” More at the link. – Indy Lights – (12/1/14)

—

Carlin to join Indy Lights in 2015 – British racing team Carlin will join the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires in 2015. Racing Director Trevor Carlin commented, “We’re extremely excited to be taking the Carlin team to the U.S. and embarking on this new challenge into the Indy Lights series. We’ve had one eye on the U.S. for some time now and the time is right to widen our focus. We’re seeing more and more drivers look across the Atlantic from categories such as Formula 3 and GP2 Series to careers in Indy Lights and IndyCar and it makes sense as a European team to offer that route to our customers.” – Indy Lights – (12/1/14)

—

Vergne interested in INDYCAR – 28 year old Jean-Eric Vergne has made his intentions clear for next season. “I would be really interest in racing in America in IndyCar; I think it’s a great championship,” said Vergne, who has been driving for Toro Rosso in Formula 1. “I’m working with a manager who works with a few drivers in America, Julian Jakobi, and at the moment, it seems like it is quite hard to go to a top team right away, but I am very interested to see what type of seats are available.” – INDYCAR – (12/1/14)

Aleshin unlikely to return to INDYCAR due to funding issues – According to Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star, Russian rookie Mikhail Aleshin is unlikely to return to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2015 not because of his injuries but due to funding issues. Aleshin’s sponsors were hit by the sanctions placed on Russian businesses by the US Government amid tensions in the Ukraine. As was thought at the time SMP Bank’s funds are now frozen and Sam Schmidt says they’re behind on payments. – Indianapolis Star – (11/26/14)

—

Foyt still hospitalized following surgery – From Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star: “A.J. Foyt remains in a Houston hospital, his IndyCar Series team said today, due to a post-operative complication which has been resolved. Foyt, who turns 80 on Jan. 16, had triple bypass surgery Nov. 12 at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Houston. The catheterization two days prior showed blockages in several stents from past procedures, most recently in March 2010. He was expected to remain in the hospital until Nov. 17. “He’s getting better,” Foyt’s son, Larry, told The Star today. “(He’s) still in the hospital but improving every day.”” – Indianapolis Star – (11/26/14)

—

Pagenaud’s Indy 500 Senna tribute helmet up for auction – The amazing Ayrton Senna tribute helmet that Simon Pagenaud wore in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is up for auction. The auction benefits the Ayrton Senna Institute and ends at midnight between December 7th and 8th. – 501auctions.com – (11/26/14)